The Silver Lining Foundation - Addressing Violence and LGBT Youth Support in Trinidad and Tobago

Statement: Re- Zidane Malone & Mazza Baptiste

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Jeremy - SLF

The Silver Lining Foundation (SLF) extends its deepest sympathies to the families of 14-year-old Zidane Malone, who sadly took his life on October 28th, 2016, and 13-year-old Mazza Baptiste, who tragically ended her life on October 30th, 2016. Zidane was a student of the Five Rivers Secondary School while Mazza was a student of the Cowen Hamilton Secondary School. They both had bright futures ahead of them and we now grieve the loss of these young, gifted souls with their…

Homophobia and How I Became an Ally

Posted on October 26, 2016 by admin

The definition of “gay” was multitudinous during my later secondary school years attending an all-girls’ school. If you were friends with the same person for too long, you were gay. If you hugged for too long, you were gay. If you complimented your friend, they would immediately blush and declare you to be gay. If you liked a boy from the nearby boys’ school, you were gay, and they were all gay, too. Slowly, the definition grew from being slang,…

Buddies Over Bullies

Posted on October 2, 2016 by Jeremy - SLF

Happy Bullying Prevention Month! This month is particularly important for the Silver Lining Foundation as it reminds us of the genesis of the foundation – to serve as a guardian body for marginalized youth who are or have been victims of bullying, seeking to prevent suicide and discrimination. While our primary focus is centered on youth under the framework of sexual diversity and gender identity and expression, we are charged with tackling bullying and discrimination as a general notion. Bullying…

TTFF & A Safe Space

Posted on September 24, 2016 by admin

Today marks a grand day for The Silver Lining Foundation in its quest to Support, Educate and Advocate for LGBT and discriminated youth in Trinidad and Tobago. On this day in 2015, “A Safe Space” was accepted into the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) and was presented on 24th and 28th September at MovieTowne, Port-of-Spain. The film was well-received by the public, who following the viewing of the film, held a discussion session with SLF members. The Silver…

SLF Karaoke – A “Silver Lining” of Hope for LGBTQ Youths

Posted on September 17, 2016 by admin

September 16th 2016 Every year the Silver Lining Foundation (SLF) hosts a Karaoke fundraiser as part of its on-going efforts to advance the cause of building safe spaces which welcomes inclusion, tolerance and diversity among all members of society. It is the fourth year the foundation has hosted this event at the Studio Rumors Lounge and each year it has grown in attendance and public interest. When SLF initially embarked on this fundraiser the main goal was simply to generate…

Remembering George

Posted on September 13, 2016 by admin

Five years ago on this day, in a moment of unrelenting hopelessness and absolute desperation, a young George Kazanjian made a decision that ultimately had a far reaching impact on the lives of the many people who were most close to him and to the strangers he would never meet. Today marks the five year anniversary of the tragic passing of our beloved George Kazanjian. The Silver Lining Foundation (SLF) would like to extend our sincere condolences to the friends…

International Youth Day: Eradicating LGBT Poverty

Posted on August 15, 2016 by admin

On August 12, 2016, the UN joined the world in celebrating International Youth Day with the theme of “Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production.” Poverty is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) issue. It is a common fear for youths in Trinidad and Tobago to be threatened with homelessness if they are found to be LGBT. Coming out has become one of the hardest decisions for LGBT youths, as in most cases they are forcefully thrown out from…

Bullies Are Made

Posted on August 8, 2016 by admin

Continuously, instances of bullying are not properly attended to or overlooked. The victim is labelled as the “bullied” while bullies are often glorified and praised among their peers, and punished by school administrators. But the root causes of such aggressive behaviour are never addressed. In Trinidad and Tobago, being a bully is often seen as “survival of the fittest”, a misleading initiation into society. Bullies use intimidation and physical strength to belittle others and assert their dominance. It is of…

Sakharov Fellowship 2016

Posted on July 22, 2016 by admin

Promoting ideas through a constellation of conversations and making change through solidaity: Moving from the Head to the Heart to Impact Change They say the longest distance in the world is the 18 inches between the head and heart. This refers to applying everything you know and channeling it to a strong willingness to seek change which is driven by investment and passion to a cause. It is creating a perfect marriage between your knowledge to your emotions in order…

Breaking Trinidad and Tobago’s Tradition of Bullying

Posted on July 18, 2016 by admin

What does bullying mean for Trinidad and Tobago? Bully (v) – repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behavior used to intimidate, harass or discriminate against an individual. Educators talk about a hidden curriculum. These are experiences at school that are not accounted for or dealt with, but do happen throughout a child’s school life. Parents talk about that necessary part of growing up where it is acceptable for a child’s insecurities and vulnerabilities to be scrutinized regularly. However, for too…

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